Latest news with #Women'sNationalTeam
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Alex Morgan Becomes Minority Investor In San Diego Wave FC
Alex Morgan becomes a minority investor in her former NWSL club, San Diego Wave FC just eight months ... More following her retirement. Former captain and U.S. Women's National Team forward Alex Morgan officially joins her former NWSL team, San Diego Wave FC as a minority investor. 'It's really been incredible for me to go from being a player, to watching the game, and now as an investor,' Morgan told Forbes in an exclusive interview. 'I think every athlete goes through their own transition from active to former player, but for me, the love for the game doesn't stop. To be on this side of it now and just appreciate the game and enjoy watching the Wave and seeing the success that they have on the field and experience it as a fan is new and I just really love it.' Over eight months ago, Morgan announced that her 15-year playing career was officially coming to an end in just 72 hours. The announcement was also paired with the news of her being pregnant with her second child. Although it's been just over a month since Morgan gave birth to her second child, Enzo, her drive as a professional continues to grow as she transitions into her new role as a minority investor for the Wave. 'This really hits so close to the heart, just being able to invest in something that represents the city that I live in, the sport I grew up playing, the team and organization that I spent every day of the last three years committing most of my time with,' said Morgan. 'It's great to now be able to give back the learnings I made as a player into that on the business side and as an investor.' In October 2024, the Levine Leichtman Family officially purchased the Wave for an NWSL record of $120 million. With Morgan's retirement in September 2024, the conversations about her involvement on the business side followed soon after. 'This was really always part of the plan, to move from player to investor or co-owner,' said Morgan. 'It was always something I wanted to do since I moved to this city, play for this city and this club and to make it one of the biggest and successful clubs in the world. I think that I can really help in doing that as a player and now on the other side of it, I'm really excited that I'll be able to do that from the business side.' As an athlete, Morgan scored 123 goals for the U.S. Women's National Team and scored 23 goals and made 50 appearances for the Wave in the first three seasons of the club's existence. Morgan concluded her career as the all-time leading scorer and assist leader, with 28 goals and 11 assists for the Wave. Since Morgan's retirement, she's continued to pave a way for girls and mom's through the Alex Morgan Foundation. However, in her newest opportunity as a minority investor, her focus will be to provide mentorship to Wave players. The former forward has a wealth of knowledge as she participated in the NWSL for 12 seasons and also played overseas for Olympique Lyonnais Féminin in France from 2016-2017 and with Tottenham Hotspur in England from 2020-2021. Additionally, Morgan has also won awards at the highest level from being a two-time World Cup champion (2015, 2019), Olympic gold medalist (2012), and winning the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year (2012, 2018) award. With deep ties to the city, San Diego has become home for her family and following her retirement, September 8 has officially been recognized as Alex Morgan Day by the San Diego City Council. Although the NWSL season is several weeks into the regular season, the Wave are currently ranked No. 4 in the NWSL standings with a 4-2-2 (wins, draws, losses) record. Instead of being on the field, Morgan now spends game days with her family supporting the Wave from the stands. 'Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch,' said Lauren Leichtman, Controlling Owner of San Diego Wave FC. 'She used her platform to lead, to advocate, and to build something meaningful in San Diego. Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building.' Fans celebrate Alex Morgan at her final game on September 8, 2024 at Snapdragon Stadium. Following the shift in player dynamics from the offseason trades and signings, Morgan looks forward to building relationships with the new players on the team as she not only advocates for women's sports but puts it into action by coming alongside her former team. Morgan and her husband, Servando Carrasco, founded Trybe Ventures in 2022 where they've invested in health tech, sport tech, media, CPG, and emerging sports properties. 'This investment for me and my husband is something that we have been really passionate about,' said Morgan.'I had the hope of being able to do it soon after I retired and so it's incredible to be able able to follow through with something that you kind of started to put in place four years ago. 'I feel confident in what I'll be able to bring to the Wave and the value I'll be able to add, so, having this come now as we're building our family and continuing to dig into this community, I feel like it couldn't have come at a better time.' San Diego Wave FC will face Gotham FC on Friday, May 16 at 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET and will reunite at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, May 25 at 7pm PT/10pm ET as they host the North Carolina Courage.
CAF
10-05-2025
- Sport
- CAF
CAF Women Instructors Development Program Concludes Successfully in Addis Ababa
The CAF Women's Football Department is proud to announce the successful conclusion of the CAF Women Instructors Development Program (WIDP), culminating in a dynamic in-person workshop held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The in-person phase, which took place from May 5 to 9, 2025, marked the final chapter of a groundbreaking initiative designed to enhance the quality and impact of women football coaching education across the continent. The program officially launched online on March 5, 2025, offering four weeks of virtual training in leadership, communication, coaching pedagogy, and practical knowledge delivery. The innovative hybrid format enabled participants to gain cutting-edge instructional and leadership skills while continuing with their daily professional duties. A total of 24 participants from 19 African Football Associations took part in the program, reflecting CAF's strong commitment to building capacity and promoting gender equity within football structures across the continent. During the in-person training, participants engaged in intensive practical demonstrations, group discussions, and assessments, solidifying their competencies as future leaders and facilitators in their respective Member Associations. The workshop also served as a platform to foster collaboration, exchange best practices, and reinforce CAF's strategic efforts to empower women across all facets of the game. Sherly Botes, Head Coach of the Ugandan Women's National Team, shared her appreciation: "Firstly, thank you to CAF for hosting the CAF Women Instructors Development Course in Addis Ababa. The aim of the course was to equip and empower women instructors on the continent. It has been an amazing experience for all of us, and we are so grateful to CAF for this opportunity. The course focused on various aspects, namely 'Technology in Football,' 'Match Analysis,' 'Football Philosophy,' 'Football Periodization,' and 'Scouting & Selection Criteria,' just to mention a few. Our aim is to share the knowledge and experiences gained at this course within our federations in order to represent CAF and our FAs at the highest level." Tomety Kai, Head Coach of Togo's Women's National Team, also noted: "L'atelier de formation organisé par la CAF dans le cadre de son Programme de Développement des Instructrices a été une expérience extrêmement enrichissante, tant sur le plan professionnel que personnel pour ma personne. [...] Je repars de cette formation mieux outillée, inspirée et déterminée à transmettre ce que j'ai appris, afin de contribuer activement à la formation de la prochaine génération d'actrices du football féminin africain." Bernadette Anong, participant from Cameroon, reflected deeply on her journey: "Ce programme a été très enrichissant pour nous et pour le football féminin africain. J'ai acquis des connaissances sur la communication, la gestion d'un groupe féminin, la pédagogie dans l'entraînement, et bien plus. Ces cinq jours ont renforcé mes capacités pratiques, notamment sur la façon de présenter un thème, d'évaluer un éducateur avec respect, et de captiver un auditoire. Aujourd'hui, je suis reconnaissante car la CAF nous a encore une fois équipées pour le développement et le bonheur futur du football féminin africain. Un plus nous a été donné, un défi nous reste à gagner afin de réduire la distance entre le football féminin africain et celui occidental — et pourquoi pas prendre la barre de commande." During the closing ceremony, Mr. Bahiru Tilahun, General Secretary of the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF), expressed his gratitude: "We are deeply honored that CAF chose Ethiopia to host this important program. It not only demonstrates CAF's trust in our country's capacity but also serves as a huge source of inspiration for our female coaches. This initiative will motivate many more to strive for excellence and become part of the new generation of leaders in African women's football." CAF Head of Women's Football concluded: "This program is a major step forward in building a network of highly competent women coach educators across Africa. We are proud of the achievements of each participant and are confident they will play a critical role in shaping the future of women's football development within their associations." CAF extends its heartfelt appreciation to the Ethiopian Football Federation for its outstanding support and hospitality in hosting the workshop, as well as to the expert instructors, interpreters, and all contributors who ensured the success of the program. #EmpoweringOurGame #CAFWomenInstructors #WIDP2025
CBC
08-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
3 Sask. players help take home 1st women's futsal championship for Canada
Canada has made history by winning the first CONCACAF women's futsal championship. With the victory, Canada secures a spot in the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup in November.
Daily Tribune
11-02-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain U17 Women Humbled Against Ruthless Jordan
TDT | Manama The Bahrain U17 Women's National Team faced a challenging evening in Saudi Arabia, suffering a 5-0 defeat at the hands of a dominant Jordan side in the 5th West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U17 Women's Championship. Played at Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium, the clash on Monday highlighted the stark contrast in attacking efficiency and tactical execution between the two teams. Jordan in control from the start From the opening whistle, Jordan set the tempo with relentless pressure and quick attacking transitions. Bahrain found themselves pinned back for much of the game, struggling to disrupt Jordan's fluid movement and incisive passing. The Jordanians made their dominance count, converting their chances with clinical precision to build an unassailable lead. Bahrain's fight, but little reward Despite the scoreline, Bahrain showed flashes of resilience. The closest Bahrain came to a breakthrough came when Hala Alrawajeh struck a stunning free kick from long range, rattling the crossbar in what could have been a spectacular goal. Regrouping for the next battle Reflecting on the defeat, Khairallah acknowledged the challenge, stating, 'It was a tough result, but we're going to keep moving forward, focusing on our training, and InshAllah, we'll win our next were very strong physically, and we lacked in our tactics.' Her teammate Noura AbdelAal echoed the sentiment, adding, 'The match was very difficult, but I think we all performed well. Hopefully, we do better against Saudi Arabia. We have to improve our attitude because we were fighting with each other a lot on the pitch.' With a crucial fixture against Saudi Arabia on the horizon, Bahrain will be eager to regroup and sharpen their tactical approach. Defensive solidity and attacking cohesion will be the key focus areas as they look to turn their fortunes around in the tournament.
Sport360
28-01-2025
- Business
- Sport360
Saudi Arabian Women's National Team and Rexona unveil 'We're Coming' campaign
The Women's National Team of Saudi Arabia and Rexona are teaming up to champion a new era for women's football in the Kingdom, unveiling the 'We're Coming' campaign set to inspire a new generation of Saudi football stars through a historic partnership. As a ground-breaking first campaign delivered in collaboration between the women's national programme and its first exclusive partner, the 'We're Coming' campaign featuring stars from the women's national first team and upcoming starlets from across the Kingdom will highlight the record-breaking growth of women's football in Saudi Arabia in recent seasons. The campaign follows the official announcement of Rexona as an exclusive partner to the Saudi Arabian Women's National Programme in October and builds on the remarkable momentum behind women's football in the Kingdom. The new campaign launching this month comes after a historic year in which the women's national first team reached its highest ever FIFA World Ranking in December. Head Coach Lluis Cortes' side begin 2025 with an eye on further records with the team's first AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification campaign beginning in May, aiming to compete in the 2026 event in Australia. Aalia AlRasheed, Head of Women's Football Department at SAFF, said: 'We are delighted to announce this new campaign for our Women's National Programme with Rexona and Unilever, a key figure in the global growth of women's football. 'This campaign to highlight the exceptional growth and trajectory that our game is following comes with perfect timing as our senior squad gears up to break new ground in 2025 with our first official qualification campaign. Along with our ongoing work with Rexona, this campaign is the next step in continuing to reach new heights for women's football and shining a light on the incredible efforts of our national team programme.' Shazia Syed, Unilever Personal Care General Manager (GCC, Turkey, Pakistan & Bangladesh) and Head of Unilever Arabia (GCC) added: 'It is a privilege for Unilever and Rexona to partner with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and its Women's National Team Programme on this innovative campaign as we kick off this exciting collaboration with the aim to help the development of the women's game in the Kingdom. 'As an extension of Rexona's international efforts to support the growth of women's sports, this new chapter is a major milestone for Rexona in becoming an official sponsor for the Saudi Arabian Women's National Teams and we look forward to breaking new ground in developing the women's game here nationwide.' This three-year collaboration marks the first official partnership for Saudi Arabia's Women's National Programme, a testament to the incredible strides made since the team's historic launch in 2021. Beyond football, this partnership is a celebration of movement, confidence, and breaking barriers—on and off the pitch. Rexona has long been a passionate supporter of women's sports globally, with major partnerships including FIFA and the Women's World Cup. Now, this game-changing alliance with Saudi Arabia aims to inspire a new generation of female athletes across the Kingdom. Spearheaded by the launch of the national team programme launch in 2021 and the introduction of the SAFF Women's Premier League in 2022, women's football has grown immensely with more than 77,000 school girls participating in national schools leagues while the professional domestic game has expanded to three top flight leagues with international stars from 20 countries playing their trade in the Kingdom. As the third season of the SAFF Women's Premier League lights up stadiums across the Kingdom, this collaboration is poised to encourage girls to chase their dreams. Aligned with Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia's roadmap for empowering youth through sports, this partnership is more than just a milestone for football—it's a symbol of progress, unity, and the unstoppable spirit of Saudi women. Fans can follow all the action with live updates from the Saudi Arabian Women's National Programme on Instagram, TikTok and X. For more information on the women's domestic game in Saudi Arabia, visit:
